South Country Health Alliance helps residents stay at home

South Country Health Alliance (SCHA) is a county-based purchasing coalition of counties which was formed to increase access to medical care for residents.

“Small rural providers were left out of large provider networks,” SCHA Chief Executive Officer Leota Lind told the Morrison County Board of Commissioners. “SCHA increases access to care and allows for early intervention when issues are identified. We can do better, more effectively, hopefully with cost savings.”

Lind explained that the cost savings go back to help local communities.

Minnesota currently has three such county-based purchasing groups — Itasca Medical Care, started in 1997, SCHA, formed in 2001 and PrimeWest Health, started in 2003.

“This is about the total aspect of health,” Lind said. “SCHA helps counties do a better job coordinating medical services with other services being offered in local communities such as Social Services and Public Health Departments and non-profit community groups.”

County-based purchasing focuses on prevention, with an eye toward cost benefit rather than cost containment or cost shifting.

Ranae Moore is SCHA’s community connector, working as an advocate and to coordinate care for residents who do not already have a coordinator.

“She is ‘boots on the ground’ for us in the county,” Linda said.

In 2012, SCHA was rated number one among Minnesota health plans in 16 different areas, including “getting needed care,” “getting care quickly” and “how well doctors communicate.”

It was rated number two in an additional eight categories.

“We appreciate everything you are doing,” Meyer said.

“It doesn’t cost the county anything annually to belong to SCHA,” said County Administrator Deb Gruber. “There was an initial equity investment when we joined in January 2007, and another capital investment in 2008, for a total of $2,363,704.”

“SCHA provides Morrison County with case management dollars for the local care coordinator and has also provided funding for some preventative programs through Public Health. The per member, per month capitation rate is what the State or Federal government pays the health plan for enrollees of various programs,” she said.